Entertainment

Film Review: ‘3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets’

Published

11 years ago

June 16, 2015

Oakland Post

Ron Davis and Lucia McBath, parents of Jordan Davis, at rally.

By Dwight Brown
NNPA Film Critic

Jordan Davis was born Feb 16, 1995. Contrary to his belief, he was not named after the basketball legend Michael Jordan. His mom, Lucia McBath, insists she named him after the crossing over of the Jordan River, symbolizing a new beginning.

For his mom and dad, Ron Davis, Jordan was their new beginning. Their lives were changed forever November 23, 2012, the day after Thanksgiving, when shots were fired at a gas station in Jacksonville, Florida.

Ten bullets hit a car full of teenage boys. When the violence is over, 17-year-old Jordan Davis, an African-American, has been killed by Michael David Dunn, a middle-aged White software developer in town for a wedding. The boys had been playing loud rap music; Dunn requested that they turn it down. They did for an instant, and then they turned it back up. What happened next depends on whom you talk to.

The 1950 film Rashomon, directed by the legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, depicts the accounts of the witnesses, suspects, and victims of a rape and murder. All have different viewpoints, recollections and interpretations of the same encounter. “Rashomon effect” is a term that means contradictory interpretations of the same event by different people. It’s a dynamic that pervades just about every trial, where suspects and victims recount the same experience, differently. That’s what’s on view in this so-called “loud music” trial; the surviving boys have a different recollection than Dunn.

Producer Minette Wilson initiated this project, and collaborated with documentary director/cinematographer Marc Silver (Global Protest, Who is Dayani Cristal?) and executive producer Orlando Bagwell (Eyes on the Prize). They received open access to the parents of the victim, his friends and the trial. The viewer sits around the dinner table with now divorced Lucia McBath and Ron Davis, is invited to prayer circles, hears anecdotes about Jordan from his pals (he was a mediocre basketball player, but quick on his feet) and gets to know the brassy suburban kid who was killed.

What the documentary doesn’t do is get inside the head of Michael Dunn. We don’t find out how Dunn became the adult who dared to ask a carful of teens to turn their loud music down. Nor why on a Friday night while stopping to pick up wine and chips at a convenience store, he was carrying a gun in his glove compartment. Nor what he ever expected to do with a loaded firearm. Without these details, this documentary sheds light on only one side of the tragedy.

The film calls into question stand-your-ground laws that have been drafted in many states making self-defense with a gun when a “threat” is perceived, legal. Echoes of the Trayvon Martin case are in this documentary. In fact Trayvon Martin’s dad calls Jordan’s dad and says, “I want to welcome you to a club that none of us want to be in.”

Though the film focuses on this crime in particular, it also brings into view a pattern of young Black men being devalued and murdered, which spurs many to think that this country has a chronic social/racial problem that has to be solved.

The gut-wrenching subject of the film carries the movie. Security footage from the convenience store re-plays the dramatic pop, pop, pop sounds of the gunfire. The court proceedings are riveting. Arguments for stand-your-ground and against it cause debate. Semi-private conversations between Dunn and his girlfriend are as intriguing as the conversations between Jordan’s parents. Both couples are common people who have been thrust into a media spotlight by an incident that none could have fathomed when they woke up that Friday after Thanksgiving.

What the documentary the filmmakers have assembled is educational, eye opening, often emotional, sad and galvanizing. As the 98 minutes of footage roll by, it becomes apparent that Jordan’s tragedy is a chapter within a much longer book. It is also clear that stand-your-ground laws are on trial as much as Michael Dunn was. Notes Judge Russell L. Healey, who presided over the case; “There is nothing wrong with retreating or de-escalating a situation.”

Visit NNPA Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com.

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Alameda County

The Marin City Flea Market Is Back

The Marin City Flea Market returns on May 23, offering arts, crafts, vintage items, and collectibles. The market aims to uplift local vendors and celebrate cultural diversity.

Published

1 week ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Customers shopping in Marin City Flea Market. Photo courtesy of marincityflea.org.

By Godfrey Lee

After a long absence, Marin City will once again hold its flea market. The market will have its grand opening on Saturday, May 23, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the St. Andrew Presbyterian Church parking lot on 101 Donahue St. It will be held every fourth Saturday of the month

The market will be free to the public

There will be arts, crafts, vintage, collectibles, and other items on sale at the market. Interested vendors can contact info@marincityflea.org or text (415) 484-2984 for more information.

“The Marin City Flea Market’s mission is to uplift local vendors, celebrate cultural diversity, and provide an accessible community space where creativity, entrepreneurship, and connection can thrive,” says their website, marincityflea.org.

The flea market is sponsored and run by the Rotary Club of Marin City.

For more information, contact info@marincityflea.org. Or text to (415) 484-2984

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Alameda County

Mayor Barbara Lee Declares ‘Delroy Lindo Day,’ Presents Acclaimed Actor with Key to the City

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee honored acclaimed actor Delroy Lindo with the Key to the City and declared “Delroy Lindo Day” to celebrate his contributions to film, television, and theater.

Published

1 week ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee presents Oakland actor Delroy Lindo the key to the cCity Council chambers of Oakland City Hall in downtown Oakland. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

Oakland honored one of its most distinguished residents on May 6 as Mayor Barbara Lee presented acclaimed actor Delroy Lindo with the Key to the City and an official proclamation declaring “Delroy Lindo Day.”

The event, titled “Rooted in Legacy: Honoring Delroy Lindo,” took place at Oakland City Hall and brought together community leaders, artists, and young people for an evening centered on storytelling, cultural pride, and intergenerational connection.

Lindo, a critically acclaimed artist who lives in Oakland, was recognized for his extensive contributions to film, television, and theater, as well as his impact on the global African diaspora. Most recently the Oscar-nominated artist was recognized for his phenomenal role as a bluesman in Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” a winner both critically and at the box office.

His celebrated body of work included roles in “Unprisoned,” “Malcolm X”, “Clockers,” “Get Shorty,” and ”Da 5 Bloods,” among others.

“He’s brought depth, inspiration, and authenticity to the screen,” said Lee.

The program highlighted both Lindo’s artistic legacy and his influence as a mentor. A centerpiece of the evening was an intimate fireside conversation between MLee and Lindo.

“I am a living, breathing example of somebody who has achieved the American Dream,” said Lindo. “The other side of that is I walk through the world as a Black man of African descent.”

At 5 years of age, Lindo played King Balthazar in a Nativity play. And years later on Easter of 1973 in New York the Negro Ensemble Company’s play, “The River Niger” left a great impact on him.

“Seeing that production and so many Blacks in the audience, gave me an understanding that maybe I could have a career as an actor,” said Lindo.

Students from the Oakland School for the Arts delivered powerful monologues, adding a dynamic and emotional layer to the program. The students’ instructor, Tavia Percia, chairman of the school’s theatre department, watched the performance proudly. Their performances emphasized the importance of arts education and demonstrated the next generation of talent inspired by figures like Lindo.

Five young men from All Tied Up Academy had the honor of presenting the “Rooted in Legacy” plaque to Lindo with Lee.

The evening also featured a cinematic showcase of Lindo’s work, offering a retrospective glimpse into his decades-long career.

The Golden State Warriors presented Lindo with a custom jersey, symbolizing the city’s appreciation for his contributions both on and off the screen.

The highlight of the evening came as Lee formally presented Lindo with the Key to the City and read the proclamation establishing “Delroy Lindo Day.” The recognition marked not only his artistic achievements but also his enduring connection to Oakland and his commitment to community engagement.

Celebrities, including filmmaker Ryan Coogler, congratulated Lindo via a video presentation. Lindo did not hold back the tears of gratitude. “I carry Oakland with me wherever I go,” said. Lindo, who is Jamaican via the UK, said he chose the Bay Area to call home with his wife and raise his son.

When young men who grew up with his son entered the council chambers, Lindo welcomed them to the stage for a hug and acknowledgement. “These young men are all honorable. I’ve watched them grow up, and they are the future,” he said. “These are three people that give me hope for this country.”

Addressing the audience, Lindo said, “You are part of the infrastructure of my life. My life would not be as it is without you. You give me more than I give you. Wherever I go, I bring Oakland with me.”

advised everyone to push past negativity of the world.

“Hold onto your dreams, particularly now in this country being fed the constant narrative that ‘we are less than,’ because we know we are more than. And kudos to Mayor Lee at the forefront for decades repping us for Oakland and America.”

“Everyone, hold fast to your purpose and charge as a human being and to the young; go for yours!”

Lindo thanked his many fans, friends, and family in the audience. Attendees included broadcaster Dave Clark, attorney John Burris, former Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Dr. Albert Brooks who delivered his son, and First African Methodist Episcopal Church Rev. Rodney Smith. Screenwriter David Webb Peoples, who gave him his first film role in Australia, “The Blood of Heroes, was also in attendance.